Belt-turning bodkin



Feb. 18,1930. HALL 1,747,436

BELT TURNING BODKIN Filed July 2, 1927 Patented Feb. 18, 1930 UNETED STATES LENA ROGERS HALL, on MIAMI, FLORIDA BELT-TURNING BODKIN Application filed July 2,

are resorted to for turning this seam in the 0 inside, such as by stitching a hairpin to one end of the tubular belting thus formed, and passing it through the tubular body, turning the belting right side out; or by fastening a safety pin to one end of the tubular body and threading it through the tubular belting so as to turn the right side out. Also, in the threading of a tape .or'band through a hem these old and former makeshift methods have been resorted to. These methods have their disadvantages, and their use is not'always desirable with-certain'materials. The particular operation is not-only a tedious one, but frequently a very diflicult one and should the improvised bodkin accidentally become released from the end as it is being pulled through, it is almost impossible to catchthis end again without starting the operation anew.

' The present invention has for its objects toprovide an'improved bodkin which will facilitate and expedite theturning of a tubular fabric, or the threading ofa tape or hand through a hem; to provide. a novel at- I taching means for securing the bodkin to the material to be pulled or led through; to provide a bodkin with a reversible clamping means for the material to be acted upon whereby the clamping means maybe setin a definite manner according to the direction of insertingthe bodkin either by pushing or pulling-the same throughthe tubular fabric; and to provide a readily flexible bodkin of an enlongated fornr or design with a has been inserted within the tubular fabric.

The invention is further found to reside in the salient features of construction hereinafter described and claimed, reference be- 1927. Serial No. 203,220.

ing had to the accompanying drawing, 2 wherein,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved bodkin,

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary showing depicting the bodkin as being pushed through the tubular belting.- L a v Fig. 4'is a similar view depicting the bodkin being pulled through the tubular belting.

Proceeding in accordance with the present invention, the numeral 1 designates the body of the bodkin which is preferably formed from a'thin strip of steel or other lightand readily resilient or yieldable material, such as celluloid. The body 1 at its rear end is .deflectedfor sprung to one side to form a resilient jaw 2 for cooperating with a companion and resilient jaw 3 which is secured at its base to the body 1 in a desired manner, such as by'the rivets 4. The inherent resili-x ,ency or tendency of the jaws 2 and?) is to separate one from the other and this separating tendency is restricted 'or confined by a keeper 5, which, when the aws are normally inoperative, rests in a pair of oppositely and outwardly facing concaved seats 6. These .seats are preferably formed by bowing the shanks of the jaws inwardly to such a depth as to bring the keeper 5 substantially within the body lines of the jaws 2 and 3 thereby locating the keeper out of substantial contact with the material when idling through a hem or other tubular body. The walls of s the seat 6 incline outwardly and thereby pro-' vide cam parts 6' which rise from the seat and on which the keeper may selectively ride to bring the jaws together or into clamping relation. The jaws 2 and 3 are reduced in width adjacent and on opposite sides ofthe seat 6, as indicated at 7, so as to provide forward stop shoulders 8 and rear stop shoul- V V I t h 45 clampmgspartnof element soarmnged as ders 9 o be engaged by t e keeper 5 when be readily manipulated even after the bodkin in its operative position and prevent accidental displacement of said keeper. The shoulders 8 and 9 extend out coextensive with the Width of the keeper 5 so that the keeper does not project beyond the marginal edges of the jaws 2 and 3. Thus the keeper is always within the marginal edges of the jaws "keeper in either direction from its seat 6.

2and 3 soas not'to engage or catch in the "materialbein'g turned. The free ends of the'jaws 2 and 3 con-verge beyond the keeper 5 to provide the active portion of'said jaws, these active portions being brought together. in clamping relation. by sliding the By reason of the fact that the keeper may he slid in either direction from its seat-engaging position, a firm andsecure clamping of the jaws will be insured regardless of whether the bodkin is pushed or pulled through the,

tubular hem. or body. --Thus in Figure 3,.

where it is desired to push the bodkin through with the jaws leading, the keeper ,is moved against the forward shoulders 8 fiwhere 'it'is securely held by the. threading I operation, since'any manipulationtothread the belting or hemv over the jaws would bring more or less pressure on and frictional Jengagementwith' the keeper, whiehpressure would. tend to further push the keeper against said shoulders 8. WVhen it isdesired to pull the bodkin through, such as in Figure the-keeper remaining in its operative position throughout the turning or threading operation. :Iffor "any reason the material should slip from bet-ween the -jaws-lO while the latter are concealed within the hem or fabric, it is a very easy matter to open the aws by sliding thekeeper 5'intothe'seat 6,

r working the end again between thejawsand 40' finally sliding the keeper into its operative position; I g I v "Frequently it ,is necessary to covera cord or rope withlthe same material fromwhich the'dressis made and at thesame time conceal the seam on the inside of. the covering;

This operation may very readilybe performed by engagingthe end ofthe cord by tacking or sewing the end of the cord'to'one l sid e of the end of the belt, andthen clamp the jaws 10 down onto the engaged end of belt, following which" the tubular belt or the rope or cord. r

The bodkin may-be'manufactured very eco-. nomically, and the disposition 'oflthe keeper "insures thefirm engagement of the jaws with I their attached end of the'belting throughout body-may be stripped over the 'bodkin onto the -turning or stripping operation. If the bodkin is. being pulled through the belting orhem'; the keeper is then engaged with the "shoulders'9so that any frictionalcontact or engagement of'the fabric with the keeper will only tend to more securely hold the keep- 'erj in its operative position; This is equally l true' with' respect to an operation'in Which 'ily removed,

when "inian operative position A Y bodkin comprislng I a having one end portion sprungoutwardlytojl:

thebodkin is'being pushed through a hem or square so that if it should accidentally turn about the reduced portion 7 it will not be; 7

come accidentally or unauthorizedly displaced.

After the belt'has been'turned, if the bodkin is on the inside thereof, the jaws may readily be unclamped from the cloth or fab-- ric by aslackening up on the cloth about the keeper" and then'pushing the keeper into its recesses 6 following which a slight pull at the end' of the belt will withdraw the'same clear of the jaws and permit the bodkin to be read- VVhile the bodkin is especially adapted for theturning of tubular belts and theithreading of a' tape' or band through a fhein,.itsutility is not limited to these particularfunctionssince; it has a wide application :in the; dressmaking and. seamstress arts.

qI' claim:

tubular belting. The keeper is preferably is 1.-. A bodkin comprising a flexible -striplike body having spaced jaws at oneend normallyspaced apart, said jaws having for-L;

intermediate depression, and a keepeneme0. ward and rearward stop shoulders with an bracing the jaws and adapted to be engaged I 'in the depression when'i'n aninoperative position and selectively movable against eitherflg 7 he forward or the rearward stop shoulders for effecting a' clamping of thejaws. I,

resilient strip loo form ajaw, a cooperating jaw formed of a I resilient strip and secured at its inner end to the first strip, one. of said j aws'being bowed outwardly from the otheraw with .the'free 7 ends of said .jaws' relatively converging to-: 7

forming va keeper seat, and a keeperlengage'd V inisaidseat and movable therefrom :in either direction lengthwise of the jaws} for bringai ingthe, free ends of the I jaws into clamping relation to each other. 1

-, 3. A bodkin comprising a yieldable elon ward one another, and, said bow-ed jawhaving a depression intermediate its length gatedbody having a'jaw on one end, a cooper atingjaw secured tothe body in opposition to the first jaw, one of said jaws having a keeper seat and a cam rising from each side thereof,stops at the remoteendsj of the cams,

able therefrom along either cam .to bring;theactive portionsofthe jaws into clamp1ng}relation ,toeach other, said keeper being en- ,ga-geable with said stops to hold the keeper operative.

jaw having a shank with a depression therein forming a keeper seat, andia-keeper engaged in said seat and movable 'in-either dlfand'a keeper engagedin said seat and mow"; V ii 125." 'havingja jaw, a secon cl'jaw secured'to thelrection therefrom to bring the active portions of the jaws into clamping relation to each other.

5. A. bodkin comprising a strip-like body having a jaw formed on one end, a second jaw secured to the body in cooperating relation with the first jaw, said jaws having shanks with reduced portions, and a keeper embracing the shanks about their reduced portions, one jaw having a depressed seat and an adjacent cam part in its reduced portion and on which said keeper is movable for bringing the jaws into clamping relation.

LENA ROGERS HALL. 

